Pros

Cons

Slightly slower performance than some competitors.

Bottom Line

You'd be hard-pressed to find an online backup service as full-featured or versatile as IDrive, especially for the price.

Feb. 28, 2019

If you're in the market for an online backup service, there are many variables to consider, including pricing, advanced backup features, performance, and ease of use. IDrive hits high marks across all these categories, and it offers a good price-to-storage ratio, too. It doesn't offer a true continuous backup option and the web interface is a bit fragmented, but those are relatively minor drawbacks. IDrive is an excellent service for consumers and a PCMag Editors' Choice winner.

Pricing, Plans, and Platforms

IDrive's Personal tier costs $69.50 per year for 2TB of storage, which is a good value. A 5TB plan will run you $99.50 per year. IDrive also frequently offers discounts for its plans. The personal plan covers an unlimited number of devices, which is great for families and people who simply have lots of devices.

IDrive is one of the few services we reviewed that offers a permanent and free 5GB account. Zoolz Big Mind offers a comparable free plan. The business-level subscription adds subaccount management features, priority support, server backup, three IDrive Express bulk backups per year (Personal users only get one), and an unlimited number of users per account for $99.50 a year.

For comparison, Carbonite and Backblaze charge $71.99 and $60 a year, respectively, for unlimited storage plans, though those plans each can only be used with one computer. Competing services such as SOS Online Backup ($44.99 per year for 50GB) and Acronis True Image ($49.99 per year for 250GB) charge considerably more per gigabyte of storage. SOS Online does cover a respectable five computers and an unlimited number of mobile devices, though.

IDrive is available for Windows, macOS, Android (version 4 and later), and iOS (version 11 and later). You can also download IDrive on thin clients and Linux/Unix servers.

Getting Started With IDrive

To use the service, you first need to create an account and choose to either use a private encryption key or an IDrive-managed key (the default). As with SOS Online Backup, the private-encryption-key option means you alone can access your backed-up files. That means that IDrive cannot decrypt your data even if compelled by law enforcement. If you tend to lose a password every now and then, the default option is likely best, since IDrive cannot help you recover a private key if you forget it. Using a password manager could help you here.

From's IDrive's notification area icon, you can launch the full application, access settings, and manage the backup schedule. It also integrates with File Explorer in Windows by implementing a right-click option for adding items to your backup set.

We like the clear organization and relatively attractive design of IDrive's desktop application, but the color palette is somewhat inconsistent. SpiderOak One's monochromatic look is cleaner overall. That said, we did not encounter any issues with application performance; navigating the interface is generally quick and painless.

In the top right of the app window, there's a section with an account panel, but most links redirect you to the web portal. Below that, there's a universal search bar on the right and a module that shows the remaining storage for your account. The search tool works fine for finding files and file types such as Word documents or PDFs, for example. Down the right side, there are tabs for Backup, Restore, Scheduler, Sync, Server Backup, and Settings, with a Disk Image Backup button towards the bottom.

Security and Privacy

IDrive says it uses 256-bit AES to encrypt data locally, by using either a key that IDrive sets or a private key created by the user. Your data remains encrypted during transmission and while at rest on the servers. It remains encrypted until you restore it on the client end. IDrive also supports email-based two-factor authentication for accessing its web and mobile apps, which we appreciate.

IDrive's privacy policy states that it collects personal data you provide (such as your name, payment info, and address) and session records (such as the size of upload packets, session date and times, IP address, browser type, and device name). IDrive uses this information to improve and administer its service, personalize the experience, and to communicate with users. IDrive says it does not "voluntarily share personally identifiable information with any third party without the user's express consent or unless compelled by applicable state and federal laws." However, you should note that IDrive will remove encryption from the files before providing them to law enforcement if your backup set is protected by an encryption key set by IDrive. IDrive is based in California and is thus subject to US laws.

Backing Up Your Data With IDrive

From the Backup tab, IDrive lets you select files and folders from a hierarchical file tree. It prepopulates the section with common user folders—Documents, Pictures, Music, and so on. Checkboxes next to each make it easy to specify individual items for a backup set on the local or web app.

By default, the service selects the IDrive cloud as your backup destination, but you can change that to the Local, Wi-Fi, and Express Device option (all one option with branching choices). A local device could be an external hard drive, for example. The Express Device option refers to the IDrive Express disk-mailing service for bulk uploads and restores. This is also particularly helpful in case a disaster leaves you without any other way to get to your data. This backup service is free once per year to users in the US, while subsequent Express backup requests cost $59.95. Express Restore options cost $99.50 per request. Backblaze's similar service is completely free, assuming you return the hard drive in the same condition.

Like Acronis True Image, IDrive also lets you back up your entire disk image. If you ever find your hard drive beyond repair, this option could be invaluable, as you can restore a previously working version of your system with the structure and OS intact.

IDrive backs up your data using the Continuous Data Protection option by default. With this setting enabled, IDrive looks for updates to your files and uploads the changes after a specified amount of time. Unfortunately, the smallest amount of time you can select is 15 minutes, which means that it is not truly continuous in the way that SOS Online or Acronis True Image is. Otherwise, you can set up hourly or daily backups with the Schedule option from the main interface. If you need to free up some space, the Archive cleanup tool (in the upper right-hand corner) checks for and deletes files stored in the cloud that you have removed from your local computer.

The Sync tab lets IDrive work similarly to file syncing services like Dropbox and OneDrive. You set a location for this folder (to which you can append any number of subfolders) for instant backup and syncing treatment. You see file changes reflected on any other computers on which you've installed IDrive and logged into your account.

During file processing and uploading, you can click a down arrow next to the words "Backup is underway," to see which files it is currently processing and an estimate of how long the whole backup will take. This panel also lets you pause the backup. You can use a slider in the Settings section to control bandwidth usage in case the upload is slowing other work. A backup log shows how long it took and IDrive can send an email when it's finished.

Restoring Data With IDrive

As with everything else in IDrive, the Restore tab is full of options. You can select the original backup device from a dropdown, move files directly to the desktop, or restore them in place to your folder structure using checkboxes. Right-clicking a file here offers the View Previous Versions option, which opens a panel, from which you can select from all saved file versions. Indeed, with continuous backup turned on, new file versions were accessible right after we saved updates.

A feature called Snapshots aims to address ransomware concerns. It shows you a historical timeline of your backup set and lets you recover files at any point along the timeline, should anything nefarious occur to your hard drive. This historical backup of data does not count towards your total backup limit.

IDrive archives the last 30 versions of files that you back up, so you'll still have access to your files forever, even if you delete them locally. The Clean Archive feature is useful if you intend to keep tons of file versions. SOS Online Backup keeps an unlimited number of versions, while Acronis True Image keeps 20 versions of files for up to six months. OpenDrive keeps up to 99 versions of each file indefinitely.

Other options on the Restore page include deleting files from backup, moving them to a trash area (from which they're recoverable), and a Share button that launches the web client, discussed in the next section.

Web and Sharing

IDrive's web client looks slightly outdated, but performs fine. The main problem, however, is that features are split between two interfaces: Home (Classic View) and Dashboard.

On the default Home page, the right-hand menu gives you access to backups from individual devices, syncing options, and sharing preferences. From the Backup tab, you can choose a computer in your plan, dig into folders, and click on any file to download it. With IDrive, you can share files by email, but the recipient must sign up for an IDrive account in order to view them. This is inconvenient, and we prefer the flexibility of SpiderOak's sharing features, which let you share public or password-protected links. IDrive does let you set edit permissions for shared files, but password-protected links are not an option.

Rounding out the list are options for submitting an IDrive Express order and viewing a timeline of uploaded photos from your mobile device. You can manage all of your account and subscription settings from the dropdown menu in the upper right.

The Dashboard menu opens a completely different interface with impressive features for controlling devices remotely and setting universal preferences. For example, if an account device is online, you can run backups and restores remotely from the web interface. You can also set preferences for scheduling and the Continuous Data Protection option for all your account devices at once. We appreciate all these features, but wish they were better integrated with the main interface.

Note that IDrive has removed its IDrive Docs feature for the time being. In our testing, IDrive's document editing suite was neither as slick as any of the existing online document suites nor did it perform as well, so we are glad to see this feature play a less prominent role.

IDrive's Mobile App

IDrive's mobile apps for Android (version 4 and later) and iOS (version 11 and later) allow you to back up data from your mobile device and access synced account files. We had no issues logging into IDrive's mobile app on a Google Pixel running Android 9. Upon logging in, IDrive presents you with a choice between the default service-managed encryption and the option to set up your own private encryption key. IDrive's mobile app has not changed significantly since the last time we reviewed it.

From the main screen, the app shows a large Backup icon with options for People, Timeline, and Access and Restore at the bottom. Tapping anywhere on the background brings you the backup selection page for the device. Data available for backup includes Contacts, Photos, Videos, Calendar, SMS, Call Logs, Music, or Other files. Of course, you have to give IDrive the appropriate permissions, which is something we don't like to grant liberally.

The People and Timeline sections are additional organizational tools for your photos. The People feature detects faces in your photos and tags them accordingly, though it recommends uploading at least 50 photos before it can work properly. Timeline just arranges media in reverse chronological order. Google Photos offers the same functionality and much more, and backs up your photos to the cloud anyway, so these features feel a bit unnecessary. Zoolz Big Mind also does facial (and subject) recognition, while Acronis' mobile apps can back up nearly all the same categories of data you have on your mobile device.

Access and Restore is where you can restore any data that you previously backed up from your mobile device. IDrive also gives you access to all of your account's synced content from any device. SpiderOak's Hive folder works the same way, as does Livedrive's Briefcase feature.

From the left-hand menu, you can manage all the links and files you've shared, view offline downloads, control synced files, and access the settings. The settings are robust: You can change account details, view backup reports, implement a passcode lock, or set a battery saver limit. Additionally, you can set IDrive to automatically back up your videos along with your photos and specify the upload quality. You can also schedule automatic backups for different categories of items at a set time and day. We appreciate the depth of the settings section.

IDrive's Backup Speeds

PCMag now uses 1GB (up from 100MB) file sets to test online backup speeds. We tested these backup services using a Lenovo Ideapad 320 while connected to PCMag's gigabit Ethernet network (600Mbps upload) in an effort to ensure stability and to avoid any network bottlenecks. Admittedly, a 1GB file set does not approach the size of a typical backup, but our methodology is sufficient to expose the best (and worst) performers. Your individual results may vary, however, because of differences in available computer resources and network bandwidth.

For our test, we separately time how long it takes the software to upload three different 1GB file sets. Then, we take the average of the times and compare them across the board.

IDrive performed the best out of all the services we tested, with an average time of 1:25 (mm:ss). Zoolz Big Mind was a close second, with a time of 1:44. IDrive was several times quicker than SOS Online Backup (6:42) and Backblaze (7:47). Backup speed is not the most important factor you should consider when choosing an online backup service, but fast performance can make the process feel more seamless.

A Drive to Succeed

IDrive does just about everything you need an online backup service to do—and more. Top features include disk image backups, folder syncing, file sharing, and File Explorer integration. IDrive is also priced competitively and performed best in our speed tests. Our only real problem with IDrive is that it doesn't offer a true, continuous backup option. For all this capability and value, IDrive is an Editors' Choice in the online backup service category, a distinction it shares with Acronis True Image. Acronis True Image is notable for its impressive feature set.

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About the Author

Michael Muchmore is PC Magazine’s lead analyst for software and Web applications. A native New Yorker, he has at various times headed up PC Magazine’s coverage of Web development, enterprise software, and display technologies. Michael cowrote one of the first overviews of Web Services (pretty much the progenitor of Web 2.0) for a general audience. Before that he worked on PC Magazine’s Solutions section, which in those days covered programming techniques as well as tips on using popular office software. Most recently he covered Web 2.0 and other software for ExtremeTech.com.

Michael got his start in computing as a lad, when he wrote a BASIC program for a Radio Shack ... See Full Bio